Camper hitch extension

ABSTRACT

A trailer hitch extension for truck-mounted campers having rearward portions cantilevered with respect to the truck, comprising: a step-bracket member having a forwardly disposed bracket plate operable to mount the hitch extension to the lowermost rearward terminal end of the camper and a rearwardly disposed step portion operable to provide a step-like means to the camper, both suitably disposed respectively from an upstanding riser wall of the step-bracket member; and a drawbar assembly pivotally dependingly carried by the step-bracket member and being provided with a ball hitch coupler at the forwardmost terminal end of the drawbar operable to detachably fasten said drawbar to a commonly known ball-hitch disposed at the midpoint of the rearwardmost terminal end of the truck, a carrier means disposed at a point midway on the lowermost terminal edge of the step portion of the step-bracket member operable to permit articulation of the drawbar laterally and vertically, and a ball hitch platform disposed at the rearwardmost terminal end of the drawbar.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,730,556 Aldape et a1. [45] May 1, 1973CAMPER HITCH EXTENSION [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventors: Tony M. Aldape;Frank Aldape, A trailer hitch extension for truck-mounted campers bothof 4121 Idaho 83702 Filed: Sept. 23, 1971 Appl. No.: 182,998

Hill Road, Boise,

[52] US. Cl. ..280/500, 280/491 R, 280/164 R, 296/23 MC, 280/482 [51]Int. Cl. ..B60d l/06 [58] Field of Search ..280/491 B, 164 R, 280/482,491 E, 495; 296/23 UC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,531,859 11/1950 Mock ..280/49l B 2,649,308 8/1953 Bice, Jr ..280/164 R2,818,276 12/1957 Sprang ..280/482 3,542,414 11/1970 Nelson ....296/23MC 3,547,480 12/1970 Ward ....296/23 MC 3,580,613 5/1971 Northrop1.28O/l64 R having rearward portions cantilevered with respect to thetruck, comprising: a step-bracket member having a forwardly disposedbracket plate operable to mount the hitch extension to the lowermostrearward terminal end of the camper and a rearwardly disposed stepportion operable to provide a step-like means to the camper, bothsuitably disposed respectively from an upstanding riser wall of thestep-bracket member; and a drawbar assembly pivotally dependinglycarried by the step-bracket member and being provided with a ball hitchcoupler at the forwardmost terminal end of the drawbar operable todetachably fasten said drawbar to a commonly known ball-hitch disposedat the midpoint of the rearwardmost terminal end of the truck, a carriermeans disposed at a point midway on the lowermost terminal edge of thestep portion of the step-bracket member operable to permit articulationof the drawbar laterally and vertically, and a ball hitch platformdisposed at the rearwardmost terminal end of the drawbar.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDW-Y Hm SHEET 1 0F 2 TONY M. ALDAPEFRANK ALDAPE 'NVENTOR PATENTED 975 $730,556

sum 2 0F 2 TONY M.- ALDAPE FRANK ALDAPE INVENTOR.

CAMPER HITCH EXTENSION FIELD OF INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTTowing hitch extension means, as commonly employed in the art, havecomprised outwardly projecting drawbars carried by various types offrame members suitably mounted on the chassis of the motor vehicle.These frame members have included chassis extension bars and a varietyof pivotally mounted drawbar support means fastened to variousconfigurations of articulating support frames. These hitches can not beproperly said to be camper hitch extension apparatus because the drawbarcarrier framing means is fastened directly to the chassis of the truckand is, therefore, chassis extension means. These chassis extensionframes are limited by the length of span which the frame will permit.The length of span is limited because the truck and camper are commonlycarried largely independent of each other. A truck adapted forrearwardly cantilevered campers, not employed as a camper carrier, islimited for further uses because a hitch extension frame either cannotbe removed or can be removed only with great effort.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide meansoperable for towing hitch extensions to accommodate rearwardlycantilevered truckmounted campers, and step means for access to thecampers.

Another object of this invention is to provide means operable to providelongitudinal support to the camper to prevent rearward movement of thecamper with respect to the truck.

It is a further object of the towing hitch extension to provide meansoperable to detachably connect said extension means to a commonly knownhitching ball which may be provided on a truck.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the descriptionfollowing, it being understood that modifications may be made withoutaffecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, the present invention comprises atrailer hitch extension for truck-mounted campers having rearwardportions cantilevered with respect to said truck, comprising: astep-bracket member having a forwardly disposed bracket plate operableto mount said hitch extension to the lowermost rearward terminal end ofsaid camper and a rearwardly disposed step portion operable to provide astep-like means to said camper, both suitably disposed respectively froman upstanding riser wall of the step-bracket member; and a drawbarassembly pivotally dependingly carried by the stepbracket member andbeing provided with a ball hitch coupler at the forwardmost terminal endof the drawbar operable to detachably fasten said drawbar to a commonlyknown ball hitch disposed at the midpoint of the rearwardmost terminalend of said truck, a carrier means disposed at a point midway on thelowermost terminal edge of said step portion of the step-bracket memberoperable to permit articulation of the drawbar laterally and vertically,and a ball hitch platform disposed at the rearwardmost terminal end ofthe drawbar.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from thedetailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connectionwith the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe camper extension hitch of this invention shown with a truck andcamper in broken lines for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is a top left front perspective view of the hitch extensionshowing the step-bracket member and articulating drawbar assembly, andshowing the drawbar in a lateral pivotal displacement in broken linesfor illustrative purposes.

FIG. 3 is a bottom right rear perspective view of the invention of theFIG. 2, showing the drawbar in a vertical pivotal displacement in brokenlines for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 4 is a right rear perspective view of the stepbracket member andincluding the hitching ball platform of the drawbar of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings and more particularly to the FIG. 1, the camper hitch extensionof the present invention is shown to advantage and identified by thenumeral 10. The hitch extension 10 comprises a stepbracket member 11,and a drawbar assembly 12. The step-bracket 11 is fastened by means suchas bolts 13 to the lowermost rearward terminal side of a commonly knowntruck-mounted camper and distally from the rearwardmost terminal endthereof, shown in the drawings by broken lines with its rearwardmostportion cantilevered in respect to the truck. The drawbar assembly I2 isdependently carried on lowermost terminal side of the stepbracket 11 anddetachably engages in a manner hereinafter later described a commonlyknown trailer hitch ball (not shown which may be provided at themidpoint of the rearwardmost bumper of a truck 15, also shown in brokenlines. It is understood that in this configuration the hitch extension10 is operable as an extension means for towing hitches employed withtruck-mounted campers, and furthermore as a support means to resistlongitudinal movement of the camper 14 with respect to the truck 15.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the stepbracket member 11includes a rearwardly disposed step portion 16 and a forwardly disposedbracket portion 17, projecting respectively from an upstanding riserwall 18. The step portion 16, provided at the lowermost rearwardterminal edge of the riser wall 18 includes a horizontally disposedplatform 19 and a bracing bumper 20 disposed along the lowermostrearwardmost terminal edge of the platform 19, as shown to betteradvantage in FIG. 4. The platform portion 16 is operable as an accessstep for ingress and egress from the camper 14. The bracing bumper 20 isoperable as a limited bumper protection means for the combination of thecamper l4 and the truck 15. The platform 19, the bracing bumper'20andthe rearwardmost terminal wall of the riser wall 18 may be provided withskid resistant finish, such as knurling, which would reduce theliklihood of slipping by persons using the step portion 16.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the bracket portion 17 of the step-bracketmember 11 comprises a bracket plate 21 and a plurality of bracing struts22. The bracket 21 is a forwardly horizontally disposed plate fastenedto the forwardmost, uppermost terminal edge of the riser wall 18. Thebracing struts 22 are disposed at predetermined intervals between thelowermost forward terminal edge of the bracket plate 21 and distallyfrom the lowermost forward terminal edge of the riser wall 18. Thebracket plate 21 may be provided with a plurality of holes 23 atpredetermined intervals operable to permit mounting of the step-bracketmember 11 in a manner set out above.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the drawbar assembly 12 includes adrawbar 24, a hitching ball coupler 25, a drawbar carrying means 26, anda hitching ball platform 27. it has been found to advantage in practiceto provide means for selectively adjusting the length of the drawbar 24,in which event the draw-bar may comprise a forward receiving member 24',and an rearward carrying member 24". The forward receiving member 24 isoperable to slidably engage the rearward carrying member 24" and may beslidably adjusted by an adjusting means not shown, such as arectilinearly disposed slot in the carrying member 24 and fastened bymeans of bolts engageable through holes provided in the receiving member24' and the slot of the carrying member 24". The drawbar assembly 12 maybe provided at the rearwardmost terminal end of the drawbar 24 with atrailer hitching ball platform 27 operable to provide means forprojecting a commonly known hitching ball 28 distally from the platform19 of the carrying member 24'. it has been .found to advantage toprovide distally from each side of the hitching ball 28 a pair of safetychain holes 29 and 30 operable to engage safety chains and the likecommonly used in trailer towing. The drawbar assembly 12 is pivotallycarried by an articulating carrier means 31 mounted at a point midway onthe lowermostterminal side of step portion 16 of the step-bracket 11.The car-' rier 31 comprises a substantially U-shaped carrier member 32carried on the step-bracket 11 by a pair of eyes 33 dependently fastenedto the step portion 16 on either outer terminal side of the member 32.The ushaped member 32 is pivotally carried by an axle means such as abolt 34 carried in the eyes 33 and the U- shaped member 32 operable tovertically pivot the bolt 34 and the drawbar assembly 12. The U-shapedmember 32 at its base leg portion is joined to a point distally from therearward terminal end of the drawbar assembly 12 by a pivotal axlemeans, such as vertically disposed bolt 35, operable to laterally pivotthe drawbar assembly 12. I i I During installation, the camper hitchextension 10 may be mounted to the camper 14 as set out above and thedrawbar assembly 12 may be raised at the forward terminal end having thehitching ball coupler 25, and

by means of the lockingmeans provided on the coupler 25. It is to beunderstood that a detachably mounted camper 14, and the hitch extension10 carried on the camper 14, as set out above, may be removed from thetruck 15 by releasing the coupler 25 of the drawbar assembly 2 andlifting the camper 14 away, thereby exposing the hitching ball of thetruck 15 for other uses.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies theconcepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes thevarious objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated andwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changescould be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive conceptsand principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope ofthe invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. A trailer hitch extension for truck mounted campers having rearwardportions cantilevered with respect to said truck, comprising: astep-bracket member and a drawbar assembly pivotally dependingly carriedby said step-bracket member, said step-bracket member having a forwardlydisposed bracket plate operable to mount said hitch extension to thelowermost rearward terminal end of said camper, and a rearwardlydisposed step portion operable to provide a step-like means to saidcamper, both suitably disposed respectively from an upstanding riserwall of said stepbracket member; and said drawbar assembly provided witha ball hitch coupler at the forwardmost terminal end of said drawbaroperable to detachably fasten said drawbar to a commonly known ballhitch disposed at the midpoint of the rearwardmost terminal end of saidtruck, a carrier means disposed at a point midway on the lowermostterminal edge of said step portion of said step-bracket member operableto permit articulation of said drawbar laterally and vertically, and aball hitch platform disposed at the rearwardmost terminal end of saiddrawbar.

2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said skid resistant finish includesknurling.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said carrier means is asubstantially U-shaped carrier member mounted to a pair of dependentlydisposed eye members fastened distally from either outer terminal sideof said U-shaped carrier, and said U-shaped carrier-is pivotally joinedto said drawbar assembly by an axle means such as vertically disposedbolts operable to laterally pivot said drawbar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said drawbar includes adjustingmeans operable to selectively adjust said drawbar length, said drawbaradjusting means includes a pair of overlapping drawbar channel memberswhich may be fastened by means of bolts engageable in a pair of holeseach disposed into the side terminal walls of the outer receivingchannel member and a pair of rectilinearly disposed slots each in theterminal side walls of the innermost carrying members of said channelmembers. 1

15, and locked to the ball of the truck 15

1. A trailer hitch extension for truck mounted campers having rearwardportions cantilevered with respect to said truck, comprising: astep-bracket member and a drawbar assembly pivotally dependingly carriedby said step-bracket member, said step-bracket member having a forwardlydisposed bracket plate operable to mount said hitch extension to thelowermost rearward terminal end of said camper, and a rearwardlydisposed step portion operable to provide a step-like means to saidcamper, both suitably disposed respectively from an upstanding riserwall of said step-bracket member; and said drawbar assembly providedwith a ball hitch coupler at the forwardmost terminal end of saiddrawbar operable to detachably fasten said drawbar to a commonly knownball hitch disposed at the midpoint of the rearwardmost terminal end ofsaid truck, a carrier means disposed at a point midway on the lowermostterminal edge of said step portion of said step-bracket member operableto permit articulation of said drawbar laterally and vertically, and aball hitch platform disposed at the rearwardmost terminal end of saiddrawbar.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said skid resistant finishincludes knurling.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said carriermeans is a substantially U-shaped carrier member mounted to a pair ofdependently disposed eye members fastened distally from either outerterminal side of said U-shaped carrier, and said U-shaped carrier ispivotally joined to said drawbar assembly by an axle means such asvertically disposed bolts operable to laterally pivot said drawbar. 4.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said drawbar includes adjusting meansoperable to selectively adjust said drawbar length, said drawbaradjusting means includes a pair of overlapping drawbar channel memberswhich may be fastened by means of bolts engageable in a pair of holeseach disposed into the side terminal walls of the outer receivingchannel member and a pair of rectilinearly disposed slots each in theterminal side walls of the innermost carrying members of said channelmembers.